Engine Light and MOT...

danza · 13 Sep 2013 at 19:41

My wife's E39 has its MOT on Wednesday and although there is apparently no problem with the way the car runs, the engine light is coming on randomly. If the light is on during the MOT (I will reset it prior to taking it to the test centre), will it pass or fail?

Skywalker · 13 Sep 2013 at 19:47

Fail I would have thought

pepsilol · 13 Sep 2013 at 19:47

Pass.

As long as it illuminates and goes back off it should be ok......

Unless it comes on during the tets.

Dogbreath · 13 Sep 2013 at 20:11

AFAIK, the engine management MIL is not part of the test, though pretty much all the other warning lamps are.

Obviously if whatever is causing the engine MIL to illuminate is affecting emissions then it will fail anyway.

Biohazard · 13 Sep 2013 at 20:13

As long as it passes emissions it should be fine.

EML can go for a bunch of things not even related to the engine.

Fuzz · 13 Sep 2013 at 20:53

Electronic safety and warning systems

Dashboard management lights and warning lamps are now relatively common in all makes of vehicles – the following have been added to the list of checkable items:

headlamp main beam and hazard warning lamps including switches
electronic power steering and malfunction indicator lamp (MIL)
steering and brake fluid levels including warning lamps
electronic parking brake and electronic braking systems malfunction indicator lamp
electronic stability control system including switch and the malfunction indicator lamp
tyre pressure monitoring systems including warning lamps (only applicable to cars first used after January 2012)
supplementary restraint systems including airbags, seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters

A better list from Gov.uk "press release"
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-annual-vehicle-testing

For Class 4, 5 and 7 vehicles:

Headlamp levelling and cleaning devices
when fitted for HID or LED headlamps

Main beam ‘tell-tale’ warning

Battery (including batteries for
electric or hybrid vehicles)

Electrical wiring and connectors

Trailer electrical socket security and damage

Operation of 13-pin trailer electrical so
ckets using an approved trailer socket tester

Operation of the steering
lock (where fitted) including
a malfunction warning in
respect of an electronic steering lock

Electronic power steering malfunction indicator lamp

Electronic parking brake control
and malfunction indicator lamp

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) componen
ts, including the switch (if fitted) and
malfunction warning

Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated or inoperative

Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)

SRS components including airbags, seat belt
pre-tensioners, seat
belt load limiters
and SRS malfunction warning lamp

Engine mountings

Speedometer

Indirect vision devices (where
they replace obligatory mirrors)

So nope, No engine malfunction indicator lamp is listed there.

danza · 13 Sep 2013 at 21:43

Sweet, cheers guys. Sounds like we should be okay. I've spent hours trying to hunt the problem down to no avail. It throws P0171 & P0174 codes which could be caused by any one of many things.